


All Creatures Great and Small

by SorchaCahill



Series: The Adventures of Young Trevelyan [7]
Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Don't copy to another site, F/M, Post Trespasser, in where Cullen unwittingly obtains a menagerie of animals, let's build a zoo while we're at it, slightly AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 06:59:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17955770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SorchaCahill/pseuds/SorchaCahill
Summary: Everyone knows that Cullen has always liked dogs. Thing is though, it appears that he's a bit of an animal whisperer in that nearly every animal he crosses paths with adopts him. Something Bríghid finds incredibly hilarious. So can you really blame her for being a little giddy when a red lion from the Ferelden Frostbacks adopts her?





	All Creatures Great and Small

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AuroraBorealia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraBorealia/gifts).



“It’s just a cat Cullen.”

Snow was falling gently outside their cottage as Bríghid Trevelyan lounged in one of the spacious arm chairs set before the fireplace in the common room of their cottage. A cat of inordinate size sprawled across her lap, its weight firmly keeping her in place, not that she was inclined to go anywhere. At the moment she was quite content despite her husband’s consternation. She ran her hand through the cat’s thick fur, taking comfort in its warmth and weight. Winter had set in and though their little cabin was quite sturdy, the icy breath of Hakkon always found a way in. It made her bones ache more nowadays than it had in the past, especially the place where her arm used to be. 

“My dear, that is not a cat. That is a small lion,” he said, giving her and the cat a baleful glare as he glanced up from a scout report.

“She is magnificent, is what she is. Everyone thinks so.”

The cat, which was actually a creature called a red lion though she wasn’t about to tell Cullen that, not yet anyway, had sauntered into the ruins of Haven the previous day, sniffing the air as if she were searching for something or someone. She had caused quite a stir among the squad she’d been training with, some dropping their swords and backing away while others tightened their grip, preparing to attack. Bríghid could have told them that either action was a useless endeavor. If the red lion had wanted to kill them it would already have done so. They were scarily fast creatures. Bríghid had seen a pair of them take down an elk back when she lived with the Avvar and had been glad that they hadn’t caught her scent, their attack was so savage.

This one was smaller than others she’d seen, nearly half in size but she had no doubt that it was just as deadly and yet she had felt no threat from it. That feeling was proved out when it came right up to her and twined between her legs. She felt an instant kinship with it and she wondered if her new feline friend wasn’t a gift from the forest spirits to aid them in their quest.

“She’ll shed fur everywhere,” he grumbled. 

Bríghid raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t seriously going to tell me that Seamus doesn’t shed half his fur all over the place twice a day? And track mud all over the place.”

“Seamus has the good sense not to lay on my cloak. And since when has a little mud bothered you? I seem to recall you painting yourself with it whenever you went out in the field.”

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing; she hadn’t seen him this disgruntled in awhile and it was quite satisfying that she was the cause of it. Ever since they had dissolved the Inquisition, since she had lost her arm, he’d been somewhat careful around her, not wanting to poke too hard at the icy ball of rage that surrounded her. Instead he had given her patience and a solid strength to lean on when she needed it. Maybe in the beginning she’d needed that carefulness and patience but now she yearned for normal, yearned for the grumpy soldier who would rather be in the field with his men than behind a desk getting ink stains on his fingers. Apparently all it took was one more animal added to their menagerie.

“Seamus likes to dig dirt holes and sleep in them, he’s not exactly discerning in taste as far as comfort goes. Onyx knows quality when she sees it.”

Cullen put his face in his hands. “You named it. Of course you named it.”

“Well, I couldn’t exactly call her Hey You. She’s too dignified for that.” A smile curved up her face. “Besides, I thought you liked lions. You told me that story of why you chose a lion helm, remember? What was it? That lions are great hunters, masters of strategy and skill and you were completely infatuated with them. Pretty sure you told me that the other templars called you Captain Lion.”

“I should have never told you that part.”

“Also, I think that it’s only fair that I get at least one animal. You have a whole menagerie following you around.”

“I do not-.”

“Cullen,” she teased. “You escorted Tish all the way to that village only for her to show up in your camp the next morning.”

“I still maintain that Sera did something to make that halla follow me there and back again.”

“Please. Sera’s pranks involve wobbly desks, water buckets above doors, and stealing breeches.”

“I suppose you would know seeing as I’m fairly certain you helped her with said pranks,” he said dryly. They both knew that she had indeed assisted Sera on some pranks though she had never outright admitted it. She wrinkled her nose at him before continuing.

“Storvacker follows you all over the hold like he’s your second in command and don’t think that doesn’t make me just a little jealous for a couple of reasons. Rylen too. Seamus is all on you by the way.”

“I wasn’t about to leave him in that Orlesian pit of vipers. Maker knows what they would have done to him.”

“Yes, you rescued the giant mabari from horrible fate of despair ham and ribbons.”

“He’s a warhound, not a lapdog.”

“You better tell him that then. Seamus thinks he’s still a puppy instead of an eighty pound mabari. What bruises I don’t get from training are more often than not from him,” she said teased. While she might not have the same affinity for dogs as her husband and seemingly all Fereldans, Seamus was very dear to her if for no other reason than the amount of joy he brought to her husband.

At the sound of his name, Seamus raised his head from his spot next to the fire, his stubby tail thumping against the floor. The mabari was sprawled out in front of the fireplace, taking up more space than one would think possible. When it became evident that a treat wasn’t incoming he huffed and lay his head back down but kept his eyes fixed on them, an ever hopeful expression on his face.

“And then there’s Princess Buttercup.”

Cullen’s head snapped up. “Buttercup is not my fault. Leliana gave her to me.”

“Only because you kept ‘borrowing’ her. I’m pretty sure Leliana did it in self-defence,” she paused. “Let’s face it,  _ ástin mín _ , you are the Ferelden equivalent of that princess in the fairy tales who sings to birds and other woodland creatures and they come running.”

“Says the woman who communes with horses.”

“Considering Vidarson saved my life after Corypheus attacked Haven he gets the royal treatment for the rest of his life. And sure, we have a special connection but I can’t exactly bring him to bed with me for cuddles.”

“I know for a fact that you’ve spent more than one night in the stables with him throughout the years.”

“Only because he’s better company than most people. And that was mostly in the beginning when people thought I killed the Divine or when they wouldn’t stop pestering me to give them a blessing from the Herald of Andraste. It’s much harder to be a religious figurehead when you smell like horseshit.” Even all these years later there was still a slight tinge of bitterness painting the memory of those early days of the Inquisition but as time passed and her companions became close friends and loved ones, that bitterness was easier to deal with.

Cullen sighed, dropping the missives on the desk before slumping back in his chair. “I’m not going to win this one, am I?”

“Nope,” Bríghid said, an unrepentant grin plastering her face. “Think of it this way. With Onyx here I won’t have to steal your mantel when I get cold.”

“Between you and the cat it’s a wonder I’ll ever get to wear it.”

“It’s such a lovely mantel though, can you blame us?”

“Yes.”

Bríghid burst out in laughter, clutching her stomach, unable to stop herself from taking delight in her husband’s grouchiness. Onyx let out an annoyed trill before jumping down from her lap, clearly not appreciating her mistress’s sense of humor. She stalked over to the fireplace and stretched out before it, nearly matching Seamus in length. If Ferelden did one thing it was that it grew their animals big.

Still smiling, she stood up from the chair and sauntered over to her husband, plucking the report out of his hands. Even as he started to protest she lay a finger on his lips and slid between him and the desk.

“I was reading that.”

“I know. I also know that there’s nothing more to be done tonight. The scouts have their orders and Rylen’s wrangling the soldiers, I think the Commander and the former Inquisitor deserve some alone time. Don’t you?” she asked as she leaned forward, inhaling his scent. His deep chuckle rumbled from his chest as he gathered her up in his arms.

“As you wish.”

**Author's Note:**

> So this started out as a joke conversation on my writer chat and this was the result. Many thanks to AuroraBorealia for egging me on.
> 
> Bonus: red lions are canon compliant! They're one of the creatures listed in the Dragon Age RPG.


End file.
